At Deaths Door
by Rose H. McKellen
Summary: When Megumi Kirei,the last of her clan,who was supposedly killed appears back in the village that had forgotten her,she finds her only friends.But only to find that she was safer alone,when a conspiracy is discovered.Summary needs work.Story needs work
1. A Strange Wind

-1The sun was shinning brightly on the streets of the Hidden Leaf village. It had been weeks since team 7 had a battle, or even a training. Kakashi had just recovered from his last battle, and so were his students. But now the sun was shining on the puddles of the past few days rain. Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke were as always, following their master Kakashi. Kakashi was looking around, thinking if he should treat his students to some ramen, then tomorrow, thinking of some harsh evil training. Yes he had decided, it was time for some Ramen! He turned right, heading straight for the shop. Everyone seemed to be smiling except for Sasuke, but Naruto was starving, as usual, and grinning, looking forward to a meal!

Kakashi looked back, seeing at least two smiling faces. He moved slowly, pulling out his make out paradise volume 2. A look of shock crossed his face as he stopped dead in his tracks. He had felt a breeze and his book had been taken right out of his hands! His eyes were wide! How could, who would! Alas no time for that! He had to get it back! Someone not the wind had taken his book! Cause the book was levitating away!

The kids noticed it, and felt it. Soon all of them were following Kakashi, who was running after the breeze. He could sense a powerful spirit, someone who wasn't from here, someone he didn't know! But yet something was farmiler about this energy. He had no time to think about this, something wanted him to follow. He could tell this because he could feel them slow down when he was falling behind. And they were leaving a trail for him, a breeze, a unnatural breeze. Something wasn't right, he felt like there wasn't any traps but there should be, Was this ninja was leading him some where, not to battle? Or leading him to certain death? Soon he found himself outside the city, his students lagging behind.

The trees moved with a great wind, then the wind began to spiral like that of a tornado. And in the middle of the clearing a cloaked figure began to appear, holding a book, with a gloved hand. The figure was only in black, save for the deep blue eyes peering at him, the rest of the face was hidden in complete darkness under the hood. The wind blew the cloak around, the figure was crouched, black combat boots seeming to hover over the ground.

Kakashi stood there, expecting the worse, a trap! But nothing happened as the wind died down. The students has witnessed everything, he had forgotten to tell them to stay, this could be a battle to the death. But the kids didn't do anything, they stood a fair distance back, well all but Naruto, who had charged ahead, only to hit a invisible wall, witch sent him flying back into a tree. This affirmed Kakashi's thoughts, a trap indeed.

The wicked figure moved lightly on the ground, gracefully. Something wasn't right about their stance, they seemed to be favoring their right side. But still the figure straighten up, holding the stolen book in their left hand, staring at Kakashi. Apparently this ninja was one for theatrics.

After a moment of staring at each other Kakashi finally spoke up, "What do you want with me?"

The figure knelt down and placed the book softly on the ground, moving much like a woman. Finally words left their lips, "I wanted to talk to you, but not easily would I be able to be in that village…You are Hitake Kakashi… The copy ninja Kakashi…My master told me that if I found you, I would know answers!" a powerful female voice echoed. Something mystic about her. Her voice did sound as though she was in pain.

"Answers to what?" he didn't want to back down, his voice was raised, he had no clue who this woman was, and why she choose him.

The woman moved to stand up straight, "Master said that I should find out you first, to see if its really you. He said it had been some time since he had seen you…"She growled, much like a large cat," **Copy Ninja Kakashi, I challenge you to a duel**…You win, I leave you alone and you live…I win, then you answer all of my questions, **and you die**!" another burst of wind surrounded her. Her voice changed every sentence, deep, then kind.


	2. A Duel!

-1The kids were worried, they couldn't help their sensei! They were useless…but wait, Naruto was thinking, he looked over at Sakura and Sasuke. "If this lady is using so much chakura to keep us out, and she is fighting Kakashi, wouldn't this bubble thing be weak somewhere?"

"Your right…that makes sense!" Sakura was smiling, as she was thinking, "We will have to wait in till she uses a attack, then you copy yourself and we all attack this barrier!" Sasuke nodded.

This was odd, why was this woman being so weird, she was strong yet weak, she wanted answers yet she wanted to fight him to the death? "I suppose I have no alternative but to fight you…though I see no point to it. I will answer your questions without violence."

He looked over to see her signing, something he hadn't seen before. This woman was using techniques he had never encountered. Kakashi had no time to react, before rose vines had shot up from the ground and held his arms and legs. Though he could still sign, soon he was under ground, reaching up for the woman's leg, only to find that she had thought faster then him, she was air borne when he jumped out of the ground. It was as though she knew what he was going to do next. She was a odd character!

Bunshin justu was his next move, soon there were three Kakashi's all moving to attack her. She dodged two of them, but it was Kakashi would manages to kick her in the air. The woman was thrown back against her own invisible wall, she slowly got up. Brushing off her pants, looking at him. Blood was dripping down her glove, and her eyes seemed to change color, a deeper shade of blue. Was she a demon?

Soon she was signing again, wind blowing faster, small tornados coming down at Kakashi, the woman was also throwing small daggers at him, not Shrunken or kunai at him, daggers. He caught two of them and dodges the others, sending the two from his hands straight at her. She disappeared from where she had been again, this time appearing behind him, kicking him in the back. The woman wasn't really trying to kill him, it was like she was just sparring with him. He went flying, landing sliding backwards on his feet. He signed again sending 8 dogs up at her. She was pinned now, unable to move, blood dripping from the dog bites.

Kakashi walked slowly to her, not wanting to fight her, wondering why this woman gave him some very odd options. " I could have them release you…I don't wish to kill you, I don't want to hurt you."

She looked up at him, "I have to fight you, my master said so…and you may win, but I must fight you. It shouldn't be to hard to even defeat me with your fists, hell even those kids who are trying so desperately to free you from my spell, could defeat me, I'm wounded, I haven't slept in days, and I just want to die. So if you had any mercy, you would take my life and send me to hell with my sensei…" she was shaking, " I could fight you still, but I don't want to fight you in front of the eyes of children."

He looked back to see 13 Naruto's trying to break the wall, or spell as she called it. His eyes traveled back to the woman who was being held by his dogs, her eyes changing between ice blue and midnight, " What is your name?"

"My name matters not anymore…"

Kakashi wasn't pleased with this answer, "What is your name!"

"I'm a forgotten rose, I have been los-" she coughed for a moment, something wasn't alright with her.

"Tell me your name!"

"I have been known as Kage Irkari, fighter for hire!" and with that the fight began again, she disappeared again, some how she had broken free from the dogs. The woman appeared again, in front of Kakashi, holding her side. Gasping for breath, "If you wont kill me, I shall have to force you…when I'm dead…you will know me…"

"No, you aren't well, and death isn't ready for you. You wont be dying today." he stepped back, holding a kunai in one hand. Preparing for her next move.

A gust of wind blew past, and Naruto who had been leaning on the weird bubble fell down. It had vanished. The hot headed Naruto got up and ran behind the woman, with a kunai, not the smartest move. Kage moved swiftly and avoided the attack, not laying a hand on him. But as soon as she moved Sasukes sandal came at her, she caught his leg and sent him flying back. She wasn't trying to hurt them.


	3. Shadow Wrath

Kakashi yelled, "Go, this is my battle!"

But Sakura was in mid air, stopping her attack, but moved enough to pull the hood off the cloaked woman. Kakashi stood there in amazement. The woman had long black hair that was tied back in a lose braid, causing her bangs fall in her face, and under those bangs was a head band, a leaf village head band. She was someone he recognized, though she was a adult now. Something caused him to stand up, putting away his kunai. The woman wiped the trail of blood that lead from the corner of her lip down to her chin. So looked as pale as a ghost, and The students looked at her, then Kakashi, and Kakashi looked the same. He knew he was staring at someone who was suppose to be dead, someone from long ago, a ghost,!

"I wont fight you, your sick enough…Megumi Kirei." He was looking at the ground.

She stepped back, "Y-you, know my name? no one knew my name…perhaps that is why sensei had sent-" she fell to one knee, grasping her chest coughing.

"You, you were dead…You went missing, no one ever found you, We were looking for days, the only sign was a sandal, and this same place, where you had appeared to fight a ninja…"Kakashi was thinking out loud.

Megumi tried to stand to look at him, she underestimated how weak she truly was, she feel, catching herself. Her eyes went back to the kind ice blue eyes. "I-I should be dead then…kill me…"

Kakashi walked over, the sun shining down, he pulled her up, placing her arm over his back, "If I was to kill you, no one in the village would forgive me, you have friends still there…I still remember you…You may be grown now, but your eyes are still the same, clear as the ocean, and treacherous as a storm."

The students were confused, Kakashi sensei knew this strange woman. This strange fight was only for show? Sakura rushed over to her Sensei, hoisting the woman's other arm over her shoulders. Kakashi knelt down a bit and walked in step with Sakura. The woman was surprisingly light.

"I don't care bout my eyes…"her eyes changed to dark blue again, **"I challenged you to a fight, and now your helping me, I never knew you in my life…I don't even know if my name is really what you say…I'm Kage Irkari, nothing more and nothing le- **" she was hit with another coughing fit. And finally when the coughing was to much, the woman went limp.

Kakashi looked at his students, while still holding the weird woman whos personality seemed to be split/ "I will tell you all about this when we get her to see a doctor." he completely calm about the situation.

He picked up the woman in his arms and walked, his students following his every step, curouse as ever. Naruto wanted to know more about this woman, Sasuke could care less., and Sakura knew who she was. Her mother had told her about her.

Kakashi mumbled as he enter his home, "Why did I let my student follow me here…" he had completely forgotten about them, because for once, they were silent. "Don't touch anything…" he threatened.

The students looked around at their surroundings, seeing a small den like living room, with a small table, and a very small kitchen. They followed him, in this dim house, to his bedroom, where he laid the woman down. Sasuke was looking around, and so was Naruto. All Sakura could think about, was how much this place needed a woman's touch. There was some dust everywhere, but other then that it was clean, and there were a few pictures. Didn't he get paid enough to finish his house better? This was the worst bachelors pad any of them had seen. She didn't dare look in that cabinets in the kitchen, thinking about all the alcohol that was probably hidden in there.

Not a word was spoken until later that night. All the students were still at Kakashi's home, while he was outside, talking with the doctor.

Sakura smiled at them , "You have never heard of her?"

"No…Should I?" Naruto was laying back on the floor.

Sasuke just looked up at her and shook his head.

"My mother told me stories about her, apparently my grandmother knew Megumi's family. They weren't like anyone else, their blood line had something in it! Naruto! I'm surprised you haven't heard anything about her! "she looked at him, "Megumi was a orphan too! Shes only one to go missing during a mission at her age, a simple mission, she wasn't suppose to be were she was. But no one knows why or what drew her there, to meet a fate seal with death. But now we know Shes alive. My mother told me that story to keep me from wandering off. Did you know that her blood line is suppose to be able to master all types of fighting?"

"I think its all a myth" Sasuke said in a dull tone.

Sakura's inner sakura was upset, (He didn't even care?!)

Naruto was interested, he was like a child listening to a ghost story. " to master all techniques? How come we haven't heard of them before?" He leaned over the one light they had in the dark small room.

"If you think about it, Megumi was the last of the clan, and she supposedly died, why would there be a need to be taught about them?" Sakura was going to say more, but their sensei walked past with the doctor, they weren't talking, and soon the doctor had gone out the door.

"I'm sending for the Hokage, he needs to know about this, so go home, or be on your best behavior. There are no more lessons today." Kakashi leaned against the wall, thinking. He seemed fatigued.

Through the doctor, Kakashi had sent for the Hokage. He thought It was best, due to the fact that no healing Justus seemed to work on this woman. It seemed like a bad idea, sending for the

Hokage, but , Megumi was a odd case, being the only one alive in her clan, and the fact that she seemed crazy and had no memory of who she was. Megumi was a rare kind of person, he could remember those eyes, those kind eyes. Training with her as a child. She had always seemed to be kind natured.


	4. A Anger Filled Spirit

-1Kakashi watched as just Sasuke got up and walked out, heading for home. He glanced at Sakura, who wanted to go, she was having a fight in her self, half of her wanted to follow him the other have wanted to know more about the woman. Naruto on the other had was sitting, waiting to hear more. The sun had set some time ago and darkness had made the shadows grow. His house was dim, the only light to shine was a small lamp in the middle of the floor. but the room, his bed room, that he had just left, was dark, as dark as it could be with only the light of the moon shinning in.

"Kakashi Sensei, may I ask you a question?" Sakura spoke up.

He didn't even look at her, but he nodded.

"How do you know her?"

This was the question he had been dreading, he knew he didn't have to answer, and it would drive the kids nuts or he could answer so they wouldn't ask the Hokage. Kakashi turned smoothly to face his students, he sat down looking at them. And soon he began his tale, "It was a very long time ago, when classes were taught together, you remember that in your training? Yes, well, her clan had been one of the greatest, always budding heads with Sasukes clan, but anyway, she was the last of her kind. One couldn't heal her, but she could heal others and as her mother did, to trade lives with someone who was marked for death. A lot of the kids made fun of her, but most of the village respected her, cause they knew when she was older, she would climb the ranks quickly. Megumi was one to never lie, and would never play games, she would study and watch the sun rise and set. I remember having to study with her, she was the smartest of us all. And like her family was known for , once she learned a justu she never forgot it." he paused thinking, "She was doing a simple training, when she ran off, no one followed her, only a few kids saw her leave. A few minutes later all of us heard a scream, I was at the head of the pack, running, when we came to that clearing, I was the only one to see the shine of her head band moving away. She left a trail of blood, and it appeared she had been there to fight a bunch of ninjas, she was only 8, but she still went there to fight with out telling anyone." He stood up again, "Does that satisfy you?"

The students nodded. Though Sakura wanted to know more, like where she went, who she fought!? She stood up, looking at her sensei, in the eye, "I wished there was some way to help. But shouldn't we have taken her somewhere, Shouldn't the doctor have stayed?"

"No, if she would have woken up, she might have killed him, if he stayed, and I wouldn't take her to anywhere that people would notice, Shes suppose to be dead."

Naruto stood up, "Is there anything at all we can do?"

"Nope." Kakashi leaned on his wall, opening his book.

They all stood there for a moment, thinking about what could happen next. The room seemed so dull, and there wasn't much to do. They didn't t even really get to fight. Sasuke had left and now Sakura was thinking about it. She was about to say goodbye, when the Hokage along with two other ninja appeared. They didn't even knock before entering. Though the Hokage seemed very happy, he was smiling. Kakashi stood up quickly, putting the book on the floor.

"Where is she?" ask the Hokage.

Kakashi looked at him, "She is sleeping, I couldn't send you much through the doctor…"

"Much? Much like what?"

"She has no memory of who she is. She tried to kill me, and Shes very bad off-"

"And healing wouldn't work on her, cause she is who she is. " interpreted the Hokage. , "this is very odd, she was said to be dead. I want to be the first to talk to her when she wakes. She may hold many secrets, and I wish to find out where she has been. It would also be no use in moving her, from what the doctor told me, her condition would kill a normal person."

Kakashi nodded, smiling, she wasn't a normal person, she was the last of her kind. His smile pasted as he looked at the Hokage, "The doctor said that she may not wake up for weeks…"

"Yes, but he also said that she should be dead." He lit up his pipe, "Now tell me, what did she call herself, in your message you said she wasn't calling herself Megumi."

"She called herself Shadow Wrath, but he is suppose to be dead."

The Hokage laughed lightly, "He wasn't dead last time I checked, he's been hiding out in the forest, in a place where even the most skilled tracker could not find him. I haven't talked to him in years. He went into hiding a few weeks before Megumi went missing." The Hokage just filled in a bit of the puzzle.

Kakashi thought for a moment, about the shadow wrath, and about how he went into hiding. He might have been the one to take Megumi. He was a strange old man, one who was suppose to know many ninjutsus, he was also the one who could sometimes create his own. No one but the most powerful ninja could talk to him, then he was killed, but now he wasn't. So many people who were suppose to be dead kept appearing. So many ghosts…

Kakashi was about to speak again, but he heard something in the other room, so did everyone else. Naruto stood up looking down the hall that lead to the room where Megumi was. It sounded like someone was walking, using the wall heavily. The Hokage didn't even move a muscle, it was like he knew something was going to happen and was so calm about it. Kakashi on the other hand waited, wondering if the wounded woman was wishing to fight him again. Why the hell, how the hell would she be able to move


End file.
